RUSA President Research Articles

From the Past President of RUSA: Looking Back, Looking Forward

On March 4, 2020, just a few days before changes and closures associated with the global COVID-19 pandemic swept across the United States and the world, our previous issue (vol. 59, no. 2) was published. It is accurate to say, though a bit of an understatement, that a lot has happened since then.This period has surely been one of the most unusual and challenging years ALA, its members, and indeed the world, have ever faced. Like each of you, and like professional membership organizations everywhere, both ALA and RUSA faced challenges of various types through this period. Let me offer my sincere apologies to all of you, our authors, column editors, and readers, for the disruptions and delays in publication and communications for the journal.

Management: Managing a Career in Place

For the past ten years, I have had the pleasure of serving as editor of RUSQ’s Management column. In this space, I have enjoyed showcasing myriad perspectives on management broadly interpreted, articulated by an array of both aspiring and seasoned authors. As I prepared to hand off this responsibility after this issue, I realized that I have filled this role for longer than I ever spent at any one institution to this point in my career—which reminded me that an aspect of management I always wanted to present here is an entire career spent in one library. Managing a career in place, while not extinct, is a practice that waned over the years that our society became increasingly mobile and the notion of moving for opportunity took root. But in fact, a single library—if it’s the right one—can offer the chance to try new things, satisfy a sense of possibility, and advance one professionally, without all the packing and relocating. In this interview, former RUSA President Diana Shonrock shares the story of how she happened into her start in librarianship—and realized a fulfilling, multi-faceted career—all in one place: Iowa State University (ISU) in Ames, Iowa.—Editor

Forget the future: Our time is now

The text of a 2017 address at the RUSA President’s program talks about the need for librarians to be centered on active learning. Aspects of continuous learning for librarians should be participatory, happening everywhere, and occurs in a social context. The author argues that librarians must be advocates and must advocate for everyone in the community regardless of race, religion, education level, or country of origin. This is a job that cannot be delayed until tomorrow. It is a duty outlined in the values of our profession and enabled by technology. The article ends with a call for personal action in supporting communities of all types.

From the President of RUSA: Technology: The Haves, the Have Nots, and the Not Quite Enoughs

Libraries have increasingly embraced technology and are teaching others how to use it. I coordinate our workshop series, which covers everything from dissertation research all the way to coding. Our Python and R workshops are highly regarded across campus and always have more than twenty-five people in attendance—it once had sixty!

From the President of RUSA: Everyday Decisions

RUSA, as defined by its vision, “is an influential and authoritative organization, essential to the work of anyone engaged in the practices of connecting people to resources, information services, and collections.” Since our vision was adopted in 2015 our world and that of libraries has definitively changed. We are fighting fake news, administering Narcan to overdosed patrons, and partnering with social services. This summer RUSA adopted a statement of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Libraries can no longer choose not to see the inequities that broader structural systems perpetuate.Often I hear, “What can I do? I’m just a librarian. I’m not the manager, the director, or a supervisor.” But there are other things you can do to lead from where you are through everyday decisions. Decisions made with awareness will help each of us become more savvy allies and advocates. We need to do this work so libraries can remain a trusted space. Here are a few ways you can get started.

From the Editor: Connecting People to What They Need to Know

The title of this column comes from Dr. Carla Hayden’s interview at the RUSA President’s Program at ALA Annual 2018. In the words of the Librarian of Congress, “Reference is, of course, facts. But it is also connecting people to what they need to know, when they need to know it.” Her statement was not just about reference, but about the core purpose of what we do in our libraries—all types of libraries—every day.Listening to the conversation between past ALA President Courtney Young and Dr. Hayden, I was inspired by the themes that cut across library types and connected with the mission of RUSQ. RUSQ is focused on the work that we do, rather than where we perform that work. Place and community are immensely important but our fundamental professional value lies in how we connect with those communities. RUSQ’s columns, research articles, and reviews focus on our shared goals and work so that we can grow professionally through reading a broad range of perspectives, ideas, and research. This quarter’s issue exemplifies this model, presenting content from public and academic librarians on topics ranging from reading to reference to career changes.

From the President of RUSA: Libraries and Local News: Expanding Journalism, Another User Service Grounded in Reference

Always on the prowl for new user services, I was intrigued by a program held at my local public library in 2009 called “Democracy and Decline in Local Reporting.” The topic has stuck with me ever since. At the time, our city’s newspaper was experiencing severe financial challenges, which residents found alarming. With newspapers across the country in similar straits, the library assembled a panel to discuss alternatives for gathering and distributing local news to communities. Nearly ten years later, the situation has not improved much for local community news coverage. Thinking back to that library panel, I’ve decided to further investigate the impacts of, and possible solutions for, this problem. This piece attempts to reinvigorate a news initiative and promote a user service that has foundations in traditional reference. It is a service that offers opportunities for both public and academic libraries. The initiative is a community-centric public service centered on news.

From the President of RUSA: Librarians as Target

I have noticed lately that I am experiencing both internal and external challenges to my profession. There are days that I feel wedged between doubters on the inside and antagonists on the outside. This makes me pause and reflect. So, reflect I will.I am a library science (LIS) educator, and, as such, I encounter students new to the program who are working paraprofessionals in their local libraries. Some, in fact, have held these jobs for a number of years before deciding to seek a professional degree. Early in the program, they question the need for the professional library science degree. As far as they are concerned, their libraries run efficiently, jobs are clearly defined, and everyone knows the weekly routines. What more is there to know? I am certain many library science educators encounter these questions and are ready with their rationale and refrains. The prescription sounds something like this: take the management course, the copyright course, the intellectual freedom course, the digital libraries course, the metadata course, seven other courses, and come see me in three semesters. We’ll talk some more about the necessity of the degree. (Rest assured, I jest a bit.)

From the President of RUSA: RUSA: Change is in the Air

It is my turn to welcome all new and returning members to RUSA. As we open the door on the new year this September, we find some interesting changes on our doorstep. While change is no stranger to our profession, perhaps some of the appeal of RUSA is the comfort we find in an association that does not change too much. Members enjoy established traditions and supportive, collegial networks that span our working lives. But, RUSA is an organic organization, so change and adaptation are part of the natural evolution of things. This year will be a year of adjustment and new beginnings. It will require patience when, not if, we encounter bumps in the road. The challenge before us is to manage the change while endeavoring to create forward momentum.

From the President of RUSA: Thoughts on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Reference and User Services

As is often the case with publication timelines, I’m writing my last RUSQ President’s Column in February but it won’t be published until June. My columns this year have focused on opportunities and challenges for RUSA and this column is no exception. At the 2017 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Atlanta, ALA Council accepted a proposal to add a fourth strategic direction to ALA’s Strategic Plan. Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is now the fourth strategic direction, joining advocacy, information policy, and professional and leadership development.

From the President of RUSA: What’s in a Name Revisited

Do you refer to yourself as reference librarian? If so, what does the word reference mean to you?”1 This was the lead on RUSA Past-President Anne Houston’s column in the spring 2016 issue of RUSQ. Shortly thereafter she formed the RUSA Name Change Task Force to examine possibilities for changing the name of RUSA in the context of larger re-branding efforts within RUSA and “library public services generally.” In the fall, the task force submitted their report which will be discussed by RUSA board to determine next steps. The report should be published to the RUSA website by the time this issue appears.

From the President of RUSA: What Is the Value of RUSA to You?

RUSA is facing some challenges ahead. As I mentioned in my last column, RUSA membership is declining. One of the main impacts of the decline in membership is that we have a deficit budget. We are in the process of drafting some bylaws changes to integrate interest groups into RUSA and to give RUSA more flexibility for dues increases as needed. We want to strengthen our association, which is the professional home within ALA for those of us who work directly with our patrons, users, and learners. The last dues increase of $15 was in 2005, so it has been a long time since we have considered a dues increase. Of course, a dues increase brings the possibility that members will not renew because of financial constraints, but I firmly believe that RUSA is worth the money.

From the President of RUSA: RUSA Directions

As I start my year as RUSA President, I would like to share my thoughts on the health and vitality of RUSA as we move into a new year with aspirational ideas, goals, and plans. RUSA is only as strong as the number of its engaged members. At the time of writing this column (May 2016), we have seen a decline in membership of 4.0 percent from last year. The decline from this same time the previous year (May 2015) was 2.8 percent. The RUSA budget relies significantly on membership dues for revenue and, while we’re expecting our deficit to be lower than planned, we are operating with a deficit budget. As a result, in addition to possibly putting a dues increase on the 2017 ballot, we are talking about how to re-energize RUSA so we can operate nimbly and flexibly to support and encourage the greatest possible member engagement.

From the President: Building Your Professional Toolkit

As RUSA president I’m often asked for career advice. How can I get my first professional job? How can I succeed in it and build my career? How do I make the next move to a higher level position? The job market for librarians isn’t as extensive and robust as we’d like it to be, but at the same time, good jobs are out there—jobs that have the potential for growth and offer possibilities for meaningful work. As someone who has been the hiring manager for many librarian positions throughout my career, including many entry-level positions, I can tell you that there is competition for the best jobs and that our needs as employers are becoming more complex. How can you position yourself to compete in this job market? How can you build a successful, rewarding career?

From the President of RUSA: What’s in a Name? Toward a New Definition of Reference

Do you refer to yourself as a reference librarian? If so, what does the word reference mean to you? RUSA’s members are less often called referencelibrarians than they were in the past, and they do work that is different from what reference work was once thought to be. Our job titles and duties have changed, and while many of us still do some traditional reference work, the way we go about it is different from it was ten or fifteen years ago. Given this, should we still be called the Reference and User Services Association and use the word “reference” to describe our scope and focus as a group? If not reference, what terminology should we use?

From Committees of RUSA: Reflections on the RUSA President’s Program 2015: It’s Complicated: Navigating the Dynamic Landscapes of Digital Literacy, Collapsing Contexts, and Big Data

There comes a time when a researcher speaks to librarians and the aftermath of the articulation echoes for days, maybe even weeks. danah boyd’s rapid-paced, information-packed RUSA President’s Program presentation at the ALA Annual Conference 2015 in San Francisco resonated around three topics:How technology can complicate our understanding of the world and the people around us by presenting information outside of its original contextHow technology can expand the ways in which we understand the world and the people around us by bringing us into contact with ideas, cultures, and contexts that we would otherwise be unawareHow increased data collection, and issues of classification, storage, and access are creating challenges to personal privacy

From the President of RUSA: Revisiting Library as Place: Balancing Space Planning Priorities by Focusing on Core Purpose

My library's new book shelf recently featured a striking new book edited by Manuela Roth, Library architecture + design,1 which includes color photos of new library spaces from around the world. I'm sure that other librarians share my enthusiasm about the design of library buildings and find pleasure in looking at library spaces while analyzing the design choices made in constructing new or reconstructing old libraries. We have a longstanding tradition of library spaces being beautiful as well as utilitarian, as evidenced by many websites featuring "most beautiful libraries in the world" (just Google this phrase for several Internet lists). We want libraries to fill our aesthetic desires perhaps because we spend so much time in them. Libraries are places to come and linger, and so we expect them to have spaces that are nice to look at as well as functional. The grand reading room is one manifestation of this, where users work intently at wood tables in a classically designed space, as is the colorful, happy children's room which conveys to children the joy of reading. In both cases, the design encourages the activity done in the room. For librarians, a successful space combines the beautiful with the functional: we enjoy architectural excellence but also seeing the choices made by architects and other librarians for how space will be utilized to meet user needs and fulfill the library's mission to its community.

From the President of RUSA: A New Strategic Plan for RUSA

In the fall of 2014 the RUSA leadership embarked on a strategic planning process intended to position our organization for strength and growth over the next few years. In beginning of the process we first needed to confront a challenge: that RUSA—like many professional organizations and indeed many ALA divisions—has experienced declining membership since the economic downturn of 2008, which placed economic pressure on librarians and caused many to question whether to continue association memberships, and if so, how many associations our budgets would allow us to join. For many of us, the bottom line is that we must see value in our association memberships, and receive excellent products and services in return for our investment. Recognizing this, the strategic planning team asked what our members most value in RUSA, and how we can strengthen it while minimizing bureaucratic inefficiencies and eliminating activity that does not benefit our members.

From the Editor: Remembering Gail Schlachter

Gail Schlachter served as editor of RUSQ from 1997–2000, as editor of reference book reviews in RQ (RUSQ’s previous title) from 1977–88, and as president of RUSA, 1988–89. It was with great sorrow that we heard of Gail’s all too early death in April of 2015. Gail was a passionate and tireless advocate for libraries and for reference publishing, and her commitment to both of these areas inspired and influenced many in the profession, including me. Gail took great delight in mentoring those new to librarianship as well as in discussing with anyone how to better serve our users. What I will miss most about Gail though is her smile, and how it lit up any meeting or program session when I would see her at ALA, regardless of how early in the morning or late at night it was, or how busy she must have been, for she was always busy. I learned from Gail that taking joy in your work is the best way to enjoy that work, to inspire colleagues, and to accomplish great things. The memories below come from some of Gail’s colleagues in the library and publishing worlds.—Editor

From the President of RUSA: Advocating for Reference and User Services

In this, my final column as RUSA president, I’d like to continue offering what I intend to be information and insights that you can immediately put into practice at your own library. Here I’m using the umbrella theme of library advocacy to first provide an update on RUSA’s larger legislative activities, then secondly to share techniques for local library advocacy that have proven effective and that can be modeled by libraries regardless of type. These ideas come from my own experience, those of my Maryland public library colleagues, and from experiences shared by members of the rusa-l electronic discussion list.